Articles by Kevin Baird

 Japanese Kudzu

You may not know what kudzu is.

It is a Japanese plant that resembles something between a vine and lettuce. Where these plants are naturalized, they can be invasive and are considered noxious weeds. The plant climbs over trees or shrubs and grows so rapidly that it kills them by heavy shading. You see lots of kudzu in South Carolina growing on the side of the road and attaching itself to anything that is stationary. It grows on anything…concrete, asphalt, electric poles, fences…anything. The original thought behind importing this plant was that it would be an inexpensive way to feed farm animals, especially cattle, thereby reducing expenses and increasing profits. Perhaps there was a good intent with regards to the idea of kudzu in the beginning, but now it has become archaic and an incredible burden and expense to maintain and remove from all that it grows on. Keep that thought front and center as we consider the LGBTer’s pushing SOGI legislation. What was initially perceived as an economic benefit has become an invasive weed costing more than ever imagined.
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 Stopping the Civil War

The GOP is learning a hard lesson this election cycle (at least we hope they learn). You cannot make campaign promises and claim you are the natural home for conservatives, evangelicals, and constitutionalists; and then retreat to the halls of government and forget the goals you were sent to accomplish. This election cycle demonstrates there is a full blown civil war brewing in the ranks of the GOP because it’s leaders are not responding to the grassroots frustration. Political job security and tenure are based on how well goals were accomplished and plans were executed. The upheaval we are watching in this primary is really the job evaluation. The grassroots profoundly believe that the GOP has failed. I illustrate this blog subject with this reality because a similar dynamic is happening within the pro-life movement (PLM). In much the same way, there is a brewing civil war within the ranks of the PLM between what some have called the “establishment” pro-life advocates and the grassroots supporters.

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Teach / Preach on the Theological Mandate of Cultural Engagement.

Several years ago I decided I was going to preach through the book of Acts expositionally. Take my time and go verse by verse, chapter by chapter and get the whole book into our spiritual system. I originally did that because I wanted to underscore our local church roots as a Pentecostal people. What happened? I was blown away by the evidence of a church that consistently engaged the culture with the Gospel and the repercussions that took place with regards to liberty and litigation. To say the early church was not political is to ignore the entire book of Acts.
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